Kitchen Garden Forum

Some advice please more senior and learned veg gurus

Just found some onion seeds I meant to sow ages ago - is it too late now to get a decent crop? If not, can I get away with an outside sowing or am I better to start them indoors. I've always done onions from sets before and I'm not sure whether to cut my losses and get sets this year, or try the seeds, or both???

Sue

Worth a try in my opinion. They may not make it to huge onions but I think the smaller ones keep better anyway.

Jerry

Sue,

broadcast sow them in a tray and then prick out into modules (40 to a tray). Plant out when a reasonable size, you qwill still get a good crop, just a bit smaller.

Sow them in those flimsy square pots that you can fit 15 of in a standard seed tray. Sow about 7 seeds per pot - you are aiming for 4 or 5 plants - germinate them in a propagator. Grow them on with a little heat then later in cold greenhouse / tunnel. Plant out each pot as a clump about a foot apart. I do it about 20th April but you could be earlier. You should get a good yield of medium size onions.

Thank you all - will go for it

Sue

Geoff, that is an almost exact description of my method. Actually I use small square pots that are somewhat stronger and reusable, the same pots have been used many times now and I'm afraid they hardly ever get washed but it doesn't seem to matterI reckon to optimise at 3 seedlings per pot, they transfer well so if a pot has more than 4 I fill in gaps with the extras. The chief cook here likes the size of the onions we get and the total crop is reckoned to be more than if they were singled. For germination a minimum of 10F. 50C. is necessary, maybe a touch higher. Same goes for leeks. It is false economy to use old seeds, if sealed in foil maybe 1 year grace but no more.
Allan

On the point of transplanting I have a question as this is the first year I have tried to grow from seed having used sets for many years.

I sowed back in January in a bit of heat using standard seed trays.

The seed germinated well and has put on a decent amount of growth and I am about to transplant and hearden off using a cold frame.

When you transplant is it critical to replant at the same depth or does it have no effect?

Thanks

Jerry

I take it you are talking about transplanting the babies which I call pricking out. There should not be many in this category if you sow in pots, just the overcrowded ones. I find all the onions transplant very readily and aren't fussy as long as all the root is covered, a bit deeper won't hurt. You will of course be bringing the plants along for a time before planting outside, a liquid feed at this stage is beneficial. Likewise planting out the modules/pots, you don't have to be fussy there either, just reasonably firm around them and don't allow to dry out.
Allan

Thanks Allan, sorry, of course I ment pricking out.

I sowed in a standard tray so need to move them on soonish.

I will move them into modules at thw weekend and give them a feed before starting to harden them off in a coldframe during the day.

Jerry

Hello Jerry.
All the old boys used to prick out just after the single seed leaf straightens up. Make sure you water the night before as this helps keep the roots intact.Deep planting at this stage can cause thick neck, meaning you may not get a decent sized bulb.
Plant with a little bit of the white stem showing.
When tranplanting outside make sure you water the night before again,and bury just above half way up the little bulb, again this will stop thick neck.
Hope this helps a little, but i'm sure you will get a fair crop however you go about it.

Kind regards Old herbaceous.

When i'm not fishing i'm mending my nets.

Many thanks for that.

Just what I need for the first year from seed having grown from sets for many years!

Jerry